A 13-member West Indies women’s squad led by Merissa Aguilleira with a support staff comprising eight members landed in Karachi on Wednesday for the first visit to Pakistan by a non-Asian women’s team in 15 years. West Indies women are scheduled to play three T20Is in Karachi and the series is being seen as another important step towards the resumption of international cricket in the country.
The squad was received by officials of the PCB women’s wing and was accorded special VVIP security protocol, with over 500 policemen escorting the team from the airport to the hotel. Traffic on the roads en route to the team hotel was held up for brief period to create an empty pocket and ensure a smooth drive, as the team travelled on the bullet-proof buses owned by the Pakistan board.
“The security system is top class,” West Indies captain Aguilleira said. “There was security on both sides of the roads and these things show that everybody has put things in place and we are really lucky to be spending time here. We are not playing ODIs here but eventually it will happen. I’m pleased that we as a team took the initiative to come over here. I am so thankful that we can contribute to bring back cricket to Pakistan.“I really urge other teams to come back to [play in] Pakistan because the people here love cricket, which is the most important part.”